COLCHESTER United eased past Maldon and Tiptree with a 2-0 win in their opening pre-season friendly this afternoon.
Second-half goals from Frankie Edwards and Bradley Ihionvien saw Danny Cowley’s side claim victory at Park Drive.
But the win was tarnished by an injury suffered by JK Gordon in the opening 25 minutes, which resulted in the new Colchester signing being replaced.
Colchester were skippered by Ellis Iandolo in the first half, with their team featuring new signings Gordon, Matt Macey, Rob Hunt, Alex Woodyard, Jack Payne and Harry Anderson.
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They took on a Maldon side managed by U’s transition coach Dave Huzzey and featuring former Colchester midfielder Anthony Wordsworth, who has joined the Jammers as their player-coach.
New signing Gordon caught the eye on the left flank in the opening stages, with his skill and trickery.
The new signing from Crystal Palace almost scored in the seventh minute when his excellent run at the Jammers defence saw him beat three defenders before shooting low towards the near post, forcing the goalkeeper to make a save.
Fellow new boy Woodyard also showed his tenacity from the off but Colchester suffered a blow midway through the first half when Gordon limped off with a dead leg and was replaced by Oscar Thorn.
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Colchester continued to press, with Arthur Read bursting into the box before lifting a shot high over the bar off balance, on the half hour.
Payne came even closer to scoring for the U’s before half-time with a strike that went straight at the goalkeeper, before then seeing his drop shot from the edge of the area tipped away.
Aside from Thorn, who came on in the first half, Colchester played an entirely different team in the second half, with Mandela Egbo skippering the side and Tom Smith, Will Greenidge, Milton Oni, Owura Edwards, Matt Jay and Bradley Ihionvien also featuring.
It took the U’s less than four minutes to take the lead, after half-time.
A cross from the right was whipped into the box and Edwards powerfully headed in at the far post, to break the deadlock.
Colchester went in search for more goals after that and Jay’s drop shot from 25 yards fell just short of the target for the visitors.
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The U’s doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute through Ihionvien, who slotted home from the spot after Edwards had been brought down by former Colchester youngster Tyler Brampton in the area.
Colchester were in dominant form in the second half and Jay dragged a low shot wide of the target while Ihionvien sliced a shot in the side netting after going past the goalkeeper, in the area.
Maldon reminded the U’s they were still in the contest when they got in behind the visitors’ defence and forced Smith to make a good save with his legs, to preserve their advantage.
Edwards blasted over from close range and was then denied by the keeper at his near post a few minutes later, as Colchester pressed for more goals late on but they had to settle for a two-goal margin of victory.
COLCHESTER UNITED (first half): Macey, Hunt, Kelleher, Terry, Iandolo, Read, Woodyard, Anderson, Payne, Gordon (sub Thorn, 22), Hopper.
Second half: Smith, Egbo, F Edwards, Greenidge, trialist, Oni, Thorn, O Edwards, Jay, Ihionvien, Connolly.
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